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Saturday, February 18, 2012

So you have found a campsite, you take a look around, there should be a table, firepit, Barbeque or something that looks like an oven. To get your camp ready there are some things you need to do. The first thing is wash the table top. There is no telling what has gone on with that thing before you got there and a good scrubbing will make sure you don't take something home that you don't want. If you brought a tablecloth use it and be sure to fasten it down with spring clamps to keep it from blowing away if the wind picks up. Take a look under the table and chase away any unwanted things that could sneak up on you at dinner time. A Spider on your plate could ruin your appetite. Once you've got the table in order move on to the grill. If you are camping at a site that has been around for a while your grill might look like a bomb went off in it, but that's alright. If you can get a fire going under the grill part, and burn off anything that was left behind it will clean itself after about a half hour or so. You don't have to wash the cooking surface because the heat from the fire and the coals will do the work for you, just be sure to use a wire brush on it before you start cooking anything. If your site has an oven the same deal will work on the griddle part of it. To use your griddle you will want to wire brush the surface after it is good and hot, then put a couple of tablespoons of cooking oil on it and wipe it down to season the surface so your food won't stick. You will find the griddle good for Pancakes in the morning, but I would'nt fry anything like bacon on it because the fat could drip down into the firebox and you would have a mess on your hands. Whenever you're cooking outdoors it is a good idea to have a fire extinguisher close by in case things get out of control. Don't let the conditions of your campsite amenities scare you into going to town for fast food, with a little work you can experience a great outdoor meal that you will remember.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Stream fishing can produce large Trout if fished properly.
Getting to know how the water behaves in the creek bed is the first step to
understanding what parts on a creek or stream fish might choose to call home.
Trout like to stay in an area where there is a constant steady flow of water
that brings new
food possibilities frequently. In places like this they can just hold out
and watch the current ready to snap up a meal that is moving downstream and
delivered right to their door. One way things are stirred up is when animals
cross or use the water to cool off and kick over rocks on the bottom under which
insect larva live and are consequently flushed down stream in the current. The best way to understand a stream bed is to take a look at one without water in it. This will allow you
to see where some of the pools might have been and places where the banks might
have been eroded away leaving a pocket in the bank. If this dry bed was full of
water these areas I have pointed to could easily be overlooked. Study dry creek
beds that fill only certain times of the year due to seasonal run off and you
will see how a boulder or an obstruction in the water can cause the water to
flow at that point with much more force creating a pool or pocket. The next
thing you want to do is to look at a live stream. Notice any boulders or logs
that change the flow of water. If you can see a pocket, that is where you want
to present your bait. Place your bait about two to three feet up stream and let
the flow of the water take down into a pocket. If there is a fish in that pocket
this type of presentation is what it is used to seeing, a potential meal being
washed down stream. Within seconds you should get a hit. If not try it two or
three more times. If there is no hook up after that you are most likely fishing
an empty hole and it's time to move on. Keep an eye out for log jambs because
these are perfect places for fish to hide. When using these flow fishing methods
be prepared to lose tackle. You better plan on getting hooked up on debris,
sticks, rocks and whatever is in the water that you don't see. This can get very
frustrating. Another problem is landing a fish that is hooked and racing through the
under side of a log jamb beneath the water. Well, as far as that one
goes, give him line and hope for the best. If you do land one of these beasts
you can bet he has been under there for quite a long time. He will be mad as
hell that he has been hooked and ready to break your rod in half. Take time to fish the areas that most anglers can't
or will not even attempt and you will find yourself hooking up more than anyone
else on the creek. Bring a
camera because the stories you will tell later will seem unbelievable to
most fishermen.